Heart Institute remains unused

[Rayminator]

http://www.canada.com/edmontonjourna...6-5f55b4a9ff46

Liberals question why new heart institute remains unused
edmontonjournal.com
Published: 3:02 pm

EDMONTON - Alberta Liberals are asking why Edmonton's Mazankowski Heart Institute is not yet open for business.

The $217-million, 132-bed hospital officially opened in May.

"The (operating rooms) are unused, the patient beds are empty, the hallways are silent, and there's a lot of frustration in the system about this," Opposition leader Kevin Taft said this afternoon.

"We've been getting phone calls from both civilians and people working in the system because they're upset. (They say this is) a farce, it's a waste ... people are angry.

"The Tories made such a big show about this being such a spectacular centre, and it's going to stand empty ... . Talk about a waste, it breaks your heart."

[Muley69]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Yup, this is certainly a good question.

[Nanookster]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

I met with the head of the institute earlier this year. He bragged about the facility. I said yeah, the facility is empty because they have no staff to fill it.

My father-in-law had a stroke in his room and no-one noticed until a family member came in the morning. The mere LPN they had watching him said he wasn't talking or moving for some reason.

Go figure, he was paralyzed.

[boydo]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Well they're doing their best by admitting what? 122 new med students a year? Considering the wash out rate is about 40% from what I've heard now...that's not leaving a lot of new doctors a year. The ones that do graduate are bolting to the states to earn the bigger bucks. Same goes for nurses & nursing students. I'm not saying they should make it easier to become a doctor or nurse...but when you have the exact same credentials/qualifications as someone else but can't get admission due to no room in the program...that's just sad.

[glenvb]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Predicted 27 years ago; never thought it would happen here

Yes Minister episode

[Nanookster]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Well they're doing their best by admitting what? 122 new med students a year? Considering the wash out rate is about 40% from what I've heard now...that's not leaving a lot of new doctors a year. The ones that do graduate are bolting to the states to earn the bigger bucks. Same goes for nurses & nursing students. I'm not saying they should make it easier to become a doctor or nurse...but when you have the exact same credentials/qualifications as someone else but can't get admission due to no room in the program...that's just sad.

Good old Ralphy drove allot of those people out of our province too.

And our current Health Minister wants to close all rural facilities. That will drove more workers away.

[Muley69]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Well they're doing their best by admitting what? 122 new med students a year? Considering the wash out rate is about 40% from what I've heard now...that's not leaving a lot of new doctors a year. The ones that do graduate are bolting to the states to earn the bigger bucks. Same goes for nurses & nursing students. I'm not saying they should make it easier to become a doctor or nurse...but when you have the exact same credentials/qualifications as someone else but can't get admission due to no room in the program...that's just sad.

For a lot of my friends in med school, the opposite is true. And, in fact, Canada.com (or was it the Sun) had a massive write up on the REVERSE brain drain.

The U of A in general, and the Mazankowski Heart Institute in particular, has actually lured some of the top heart doctors from around the world...but the nursing shortage (my best guess) is likely why it's not open.

GMCC's new nursing school is either JUST open...or it's just ABOUT to open. That should help.

[boydo]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

True enough...you can have all the best doctors and facilities that you want...but without the nurses you're whobagged.

[Rayminator]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Good old Ralphy drove allot of those people out of our province too.

And our current Health Minister wants to close all rural facilities. That will drove more workers away.

And yet rural Alberta (well, a good bulk of Alberta in general) continues to vote Conservative "just because." It boggles the mind.

For a lot of my friends in med school, the opposite is true. And, in fact, Canada.com (or was it the Sun) had a massive write up on the REVERSE brain drain.

The U of A in general, and the Mazankowski Heart Institute in particular, has actually lured some of the top heart doctors from around the world...but the nursing shortage (my best guess) is likely why it's not open.

NAIT's new nursing school is either JUST open...or it's just ABOUT to open. That should help.

Are you sure it's NAIT? I thought it was Grant Macewan opening the new school.

But I digress. And your point is taken.

[Nanookster]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

And yet rural Alberta (well, a good bulk of Alberta in general) continues to vote Conservative "just because." It boggles the mind.

Are you sure it's NAIT? I thought it was Grant Macewan opening the new school.

But I digress. And your point is taken.

Correct on both accounts.

[Nanookster]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

For a lot of my friends in med school, the opposite is true. And, in fact, Canada.com (or was it the Sun) had a massive write up on the REVERSE brain drain.

The U of A in general, and the Mazankowski Heart Institute in particular, has actually lured some of the top heart doctors from around the world...but the nursing shortage (my best guess) is likely why it's not open.

There is also a doctor shortage, most of rural Alberta has South African doctors. And the second they serve there time they bolt to the cities. The nursing shortage is greater but a shortage of doctors also exists.

And don't forget the Health Minister just drove three of Alberta's top doctors out of the province. Ironically Stelmach and his friends can give themselves a 44% raise but won't pay the doctors what they are worth.

[Beerfish]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Also it is not easy for Dr's from other countries to practice here in some cases. I have a friend who's wife is a Dr from Poland. A specialist in allergies, couldn't practise as a Dr here unless she basically re did residency and a whole bunch of other stuff. She's back in Poland now.

[Nanookster]

Re: Heart Institute remains unused

Also it is not easy for Dr's from other countries to practice here in some cases. I have a friend who's wife is a Dr from Poland. A specialist in allergies, couldn't practise as a Dr here unless she basically re did residency and a whole bunch of other stuff. She's back in Poland now.

South Africa is one of the few countries ours recognizes.